Top 5 fitness classes for runners

Hoping to achieve a new personal best this year? Keen runners take note, whether you’re completing a marathon or just looking to improve your time, endless pavement pounding isn’t always the key. To become faster and better than ever, supplementing running with a variety of alternative training can improve strength, skill and flexibility. Here are five to try.

Offering a low-impact alternative to running, a spin class minimises pressure on the joints while giving cardiovascular fitness a boost. Strengthening the core, legs and arms, the right class challenges all of the essential muscles needed for running and provides the same endorphin high.

Regular running can develop notoriously tight hamstrings and hip flexors so supplementing sprints for stretching is the perfect antidote for tired muscles. Helping runners with strength and flexibility in these crucial areas, yoga also helps boost potential weak spots such as the core and muscles of the feet and ankles which absorb two to three times the body weight on every stride.

Get ready to squat, plie and burn your way to a stronger, firmer bum. Weak glutes lead to a whole host of issues in runners, yet are often undertrained so, barre’s variety of small low-impact, repetitive movements can strengthen and tone the bum. Ballet-based classes also work every muscle group in the body so are a great way for runners to stretch out.

The latest trend in the fitness world encourages runners to swap the outdoors for the treadmill. Designed to help runners prevent injury and improve technique, treadmill-based classes use the philosophy of professional athletes who train in a way to preserve muscles and joints. Minimal incline and high-intensity intervals enable you to train like a pro-runner to increase speed and endurance.

A strong core helps maintain good running posture, so the discipline of Pilates helps improve balance, posture and increase stabilization. The focus on the breath during this low-impact exercise will also help runners, making it easier to breathe smoothly using all lung capacity.